Auditorium chair



Filed May 27, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Fig. 6

INVENTORS Alfred LiHoven. William 6: Lindberg Wall-er- L'JVbrdmarb: Jbmea .R. Shoe-e WITNESS BY .W S fi/wwna 1A9.

ATTORNEY June 16, 1964 A. c. HOVEN ETAL AUDITORIUM CHAIR 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 27, 1963 m 3 0 w r n c m Z 2 film d r: e a e c a: WWJ W 8 S m W U w A United States Patent 3,137,527 AUDITGRIUM CHAIR Alfred C. Haven, William S. Lindberg, Walter E. Nordmark, and James R. Shore, Grand Rapids, Mich, as-

signors to American Seating Company, Grand Rapids,

Mich, a corporation of New Jersey Filed May 27, 1963, Ser. No. 283,385 10 Claims. (Cl. 297-412) The present invention relates to chairs of the type which are installed in auditoriums, theaters and the like.

The primary objects of the invention are to provide an improved chair supporting standard and particularly an improved end standard for the ends of rows of connected seating, such end standards being generally more decorative in character than the so-called middle standards between adjoining chairs in a row; to provide such a standard to which may be applied a wide variety of decorative treatments, according to the wishes of the theater owner or the specifications of the architect, by contrast to the past practice whereby the chair manufacturer could offer the customer a selection from but relatively few styles; to provide means enabling quick and easy assembly of such chair end standards; and in general to provide a chair end standard which is novel, simple and reasonably economical in manufacture, and attractive in appearance.

An illustrative embodiment of the invention is shown in the accompanying drawing, wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a front and side perspective view of an auditorium chair mounted on end standards constructed according to the invention;

FIGURE 2 is a rear and side perspective view of the same;

FIGURE 3 is an exploded perspective view showing the various parts of the chair end standard;

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged, fragmentary, vertical sectional view of the standard, the plane of the section being indicated by the line 4-4 of FIGURE 3;

FIGURE 5 is a fragmentary, horizontal sectional view taken on line 5--5 of FIGURE 4;

FIGURE 6 is a fragmentary, horizontal sectional view taken on line 6-6 of FIGURE 4;

FIGURE 7 is an enlarged sectional view of parts of the standard taken on lines 7-7 of FIGURES 4 and 8; and

FIGURE 8 is a sectional view of the same taken on line 8-8 of FIGURE 7.

Referring now in detail to these drawings FIGURES l and 2 show a single chair mounted on two end standards such as are usually used only at the ends of rows of chairs. The chair comprises a chair back 10 and a pivoted chair seat 11 mounted on and between supporting pedestals 12 by means not shown in detail. The pedestals have relatively narrow lower foot portions and relatively wide upper body portions, and are adapted for attachment to a floor by means of bolts passing through apertures 13 in the base of each pedestal. The pedestals 12 are designed to serve either as middle standards or as row end standards. Where they are used as row end, or aisle, standards they are given a decorative treatment.

According to the present invention, a relatively wide polygonal panel frame 14 is provided which comprises a polygonal metal sheet 15 having T-nuts 16 welded to its back side, and screws 17 passing through openings 18 in the pedestal 12 and threaded into the T-nuts secure the panel frame 14 to pedestal. The polygonal panel frame 14 may be any of a variety of shapes, e.g. it may be of downwardly tapering triangular or trapezoidal form, or rectangular and extending to the floor. In the example shown it is substantially square and is mounted on and overlies the relatively wide upper body portion of the pedestal 12, the lower foot portion of the pedestal being inconspicuous by reason of its relative narrowness. The

frame member has an inwardly opening channel 19 extending around all but one side thereof,.the remaining side, and preferably the top as shown, being open.

A decorative panel 20 is inserted through the open top side of the panel frame 14 into the channel 19 and into juxtaposition with the panel frame 14. This decorative panel 2i), which must of course conform to the configuration of the panel frame 14, may be of any rigid sheet material such as sheet metal or plastic. The decorative panel may be decorated in any desired manner, e.g. it may be fabric-covered, or silk screen printed with any desired colorful design, or it may bear the monogram of the auditorium or theater in which it is installed.

If desired, or if made necessary by the nature of the decorative panel 26, a second or protective panel 21 may by inserted in the channel, outside and in juxtaposition with the decorative panel. This protective panel 21 may also be of any suitable material such as a clear, rigid plastic.

After the docorative panel 29, and the protective panel 21 if any, have been assembled to the panel frame 14, a channel strip 22 is applied to the top margins of the panels in order to complete the frame for the decoration. Preferably the upper corners of the panels 2% and 21 are notched as shown so that tabs 23 on the channel strip 22 may be engaged in the upper ends of the side channels of the panel frame 14. (See FIGURE 5.)

A plastic armrest 24 is mounted atop the supporting pedestal 12, and novel means are incorporated therein for maintaining the armrest 24, channel strip 22 and panels 29 and 21 in assembly so that none of these parts can readily be removed by vandals. As seen in FIGURES 7 and 8, the armrest 24 is desirably of molded plastic material and is hollow, having a top wall 25, and vertically depending side walls 26, rear wall 27 and front wall 28. The side Walls 26 are provided at their lower edges with inwardly extending front and rear lugs 29. The supporting pedestal 12 has at its upper end a pair of forwardlyrearwardly elongated flanges 30 which extend oppositely laterally outwardly from the pedestal. These flanges 30 have voids 31 near their front and rear ends which communicate with rearwardly extending undercuts 32 in the flanges. The top of the supporting pedestal 12 has a protuberance 33 near the rear thereof with a ramp 34 leading thereto.

After the channel strip 22 has been applied to the top margins of the panels 2i) and 21, the armrest 24 is assembled to the pedestal 12. This is accomplished by pressing the armrest downwardly so that its front and rear lugs 29 enter the voids 31 in the pedestals flanges 30, and then sliding the armrest rearwardly so that the lugs 29 enter the undercuts 32 and engage beneath the flanges 30. At the same time, the rear wall 27 of the armrest flexes upwardly over the ramp 34 and snaps into engagement be hind the proturberance 33 on the pedestal. The armrest 24, channel strip 22, and panels 20 and 21 are thus all securely locked in place making it difficult to disassemble them. Spacers 35 molded on the interior of the armrest 24' properly position the armrest on the pedestal 12.

It will thus be seen that the invention provides a unique and versatile chair end standard, and while but one specific embodiment thereof has been herein shown and described it will be understood that numerous details thereof may be altered or omitted without departing from the spirit of the invention as defined by the following claims.

We claim:

1. In a chair end standard: a supporting pedestal having a relatively narrow lower foot portion; a relatively wide polygonal panel frame secured to and overlying the upper portion of said supporting pedestal and provided with an inwardly opening channel extending around all but one side thereof, the remaining side being open; and a decorative panel of relatively wide polygonal configuration conforming to that of said panel frame, said decorative panel being inserted through said open side into said channel and into juxtaposition with said polygonal panel frame.

2. A chair end standard according to claim 1 in which the panel frame is secured to the supporting pedestal by means of T-nuts secured to the back side of the panel frame and screws passing outwardly through openings in the supporting pedestal and threaded into said T-nuts.

3. A chair end standard according to claim 1 in which the polygonal panel frame is quadrilateral and has its open side at the top.

4. A chair end standard according to claim 3 in which a channel strip is applied to the top margin of the decorative panel.

5. A chair end standard according to claim 3 in which a transparent protective panel is inserted in the channel of the panel frame outwardly of and in juxtaposition with said decorative panel.

6. A chair end standard according to claim 5 in which a channel strip is applied to the top margins of the decorative panel and the protective panel.

7. A chair end standard according to claim 3 in which the top edge of the panel frame lies adjacent the top of the supporting pedestal, and in which an armrest is mounted atop the supporting pedestal in overhanging relation to said panel frame.

8. In a chair end standard: a supporting pedestal having at its upper end a pair of forwardly-rearwardly elongated flanges extending oppositely laterally outwardly therefrom, said flanges having voids near their front ends and other voids near their rear ends, said pedestal having also an upwardly projecting protuberance at the top and near the rear thereof; and an armrest having vertical side walls provided at their lower edges with inwardly extending front and rear lugs whereby the armrest may be attached to the upper end of the supporting pedestal by pressing said lugs downwardly through said voids and sliding the armrest rearwardly to engage the lugs beneath said flanges, and said armrest having also a rear wall adapted to snap over and engage behind said proturberance on the pedestal for maintaining the armrest in assembly on the pedestal.

9. In a chair end standard: a supporting pedestal; a quadrilateral panel frame secured to said supporting pedestal and provided with an inwardly opening channel extending around the front, rear and bottom sides thereof, the remaining top side being open; a recorative panel inserted through said open top side of the panel frame into said channel and into juxtaposition with said quadrilateral panel frame; a channel strip applied to the top margin of the decorative panel adjacent the top of the supporting pedestal; and an armrest mounted atop the supporting pedestal in overhanging engagement with said channel strip whereby the channel strip is maintained in assembly with the top margin of said decorative panel.

10. A chair end standard according to claim 9 in which a transparent protective panel is inserted in the channel of the panel frame outwardly of and in juxtaposition with said decorative panel, and in which said channel strip is applied to the top margins of both the decorative panel and the protective panel and maintained in assembly therewith by said armrest.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,180,999 Sellers Nov. 31, 1939 2,687,537 Wallace et a1 Aug. 31, 1954 2,690,212 Jakeway Sept. 28, 1954 2,907,377 Hoven et al. Oct. 6, 1959 3,040,848 Powell et a1. June 26, 1962 

1. IN A CHAIR END STANDARD: A SUPPORTING PEDESTAL HAVING A RELATIVELY NARROW LOWER FOOT PORTION; A RELATIVELY WIDE POLYGONAL PANEL FRAME SECURED TO AND OVERLYING THE UPPER PORTION OF SAID SUPPORTING PEDESTAL AND PROVIDED WITH AN INWARDLY OPENING CHANNEL EXTENDING AROUND ALL BUT ONE SIDE THEREOF, THE REMAINING SIDE BEING OPEN; AND A DECORATIVE PANEL OF RELATIVELY WIDE POLYGONAL CONFIGURATION CONFORMING TO THAT OF SAID PANEL FRAME, SAID DECORATIVE PANEL BEING INSERTED THROUGH SAID OPEN SIDE INTO SAID CHANNEL AND INTO JUXTAPOSITION WITH SAID POLYGONAL PANEL FRAME. 